A FORMER master of one of Dublin’s maternity hospitals has told an inquest that the death of a baby boy who contracted a serious infection could have been prevented if an elective Caesarean section had been carried out in advance of labour.
The baby, Dale Egan of Russell Street, Dublin, died on July 29th, 2008, two days after his birth by urgent Caesarean section at the Rotunda Hospital, Dublin.
The baby, who was normally formed, died as a result of a lack of oxygen secondary to a group B streptococcus (GBS) infection, Dr Michael Geary, master of the Rotunda at the time of Dale’s birth, told an inquest yesterday.
“The usual warning signs for significant foetal concerns were not present [during labour],” Dr Geary said.
Blood samples were taken from the baby and tested three times, following some concerns about the foetal heart beat.
However, an inquest at Dublin City Coroner’s Court yesterday into the baby’s death was told that the test results were completely normal. Melissa Egan was admitted to the Rotunda in the early hours of July 25th, 2008, after her waters broke and labour was induced on the morning of July 26th.
Ms Egan’s temperature rose to 37.8 degrees during her labour late on the evening of July 26th. She was given a penicillin-type antibiotic, but the antibiotic did not work in this case, the court was told.
“It has been known to cover it [group B strep], but in this case it didn’t,” Dr Geary, who was providing the court with an overview of the case, said.
When Dale was delivered at 6.46am by emergency Caesarean section, he was extremely “floppy”.
“This was very unexpected given the three normal foetal blood samples during the course of labour,” said Dr Geary.
He said he felt the death could have been preventable if an elective Caesarean was done in advance of labour but “we had no clear indication to do this.”
The coroner adjourned the inquest for mention to a date in June.